


Hope and Other Precious Things

by stillnotovermylordsixth



Series: Given Valentine's Event 2020 [3]
Category: Given (Anime), Given (Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Daydreaming, Dropping hints, Friendship/Love, Get with the program, Lust, M/M, Pining, Sexual Fantasy, Teasing, come on haru, we're talking meteor-sized hints
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-12
Updated: 2020-02-12
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:27:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22399354
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stillnotovermylordsixth/pseuds/stillnotovermylordsixth
Summary: Aki can't stop daydreaming about Haru and drops hints about his feelings for him. Clueless Haru urges him to make a move on his crush already.DAY 3: LONGING
Relationships: Kaji Akihiko/Nakayama Haruki
Series: Given Valentine's Event 2020 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1607221
Comments: 17
Kudos: 245
Collections: Given Valentine's Event 2020





	Hope and Other Precious Things

The warm, mouth-watering smell of grilled meat blows into Akihiko's face as soon as he steps into his and Haru's favorite yakiniku spot. The place is full at this time, right after most people get off of work, but he doesn't struggle to find Haru's golden ponytail already waiting for him at their usual booth in the far right corner. Akihiko smiles to himself and quickly makes his way over.

Now that they don't have class together, they don't get to see each other very often. Mostly because the piling of new responsibilities has prevented them from doing so. But Akihiko is grateful that the formation of Given has provided a good reason for them to meet a little more frequently, even if that's only a fraction of the time they once spent together.

As soon as Haru catches sight of him, he beams like Akihiko is the source of all good things in the world. Akihiko mirrors his smile while a whole family of butterflies dances in his gut.

"Did you order already?" he asks after plopping down in front of him. 

"Sure did," Haru says, still smiling, if a little distractedly. He's scrolling on his phone with one hand while the other reaches into his bag and pulls out some rolled-up earphones.

"Here, listen to this while we wait," he adds, unrolling and connecting the earphones to his phone before placing one in his ear and handing the other to Akihiko.

Akihiko does as he's told. Haru had mentioned Uecchi and Mafuyu were working on a new song a few days ago, but Akihiko hadn't expected them to have something concrete this quickly. 

Haru leans in and watches Akihiko's reaction while they listen together. The recording is rough, as Akihiko expected. But the melody is remarkably good and Mafuyu's voice is a sweet hum with a few tentative lyrics sprinkled here and there. It's certainly got potential. The excited look on Haru's face indicates that he feels the same way.

So he and Haru spend the next hour discussing the different directions they can go with the song, including possible arrangements with their respective instruments, and Akihiko finds himself going back to the feel of Mafuyu's voice in the demo. There were hardly any lyrics, but there was something different _—_ something new _—_ that had been missing from Mafuyu's previous compositions.

And Akihiko knows because this tune makes him think of hope and other precious things. It makes him think of Haru and of a world where Akihiko is actually good enough for him.

He thinks of waking up to a golden nest of hair beside him every morning. And of getting up before Haru to brew his favorite tea _—_ chamomile and ginger _—_ so that it's the first thing Haru smells as soon as he wakes up.

He thinks of Haru wrapping a scarf around his neck while scolding him about staying warm in these unforgiving spring mornings.

And then there's the image of Haru holding lightly onto his hand while they walk across a bridge where sakura blossoms float around them like snow. The flowers get stuck in Haru’s fringe and Haru's eyes glow bright when Akihiko uses that as an excuse to card his fingers through his hair. A blush spreads across Haru’s features, and Akihiko smiles as he leans in to claim his lips.

“What’s with you today?”

Akihiko looks up from the sizzling meat on the grill to find Haru staring at him, an eyebrow raised in question while he chews.

Akihiko feigns ignorance, raising an eyebrow in return. “What do you mean?” 

Haru’s eyes narrow. He’s proven to be quite perceptive in the time Akihiko’s gotten to know him, which makes it harder to hide his feelings from him. That doesn’t mean he has to admit anything, though.

“I _mean_ ," Haru says with an eye-roll, "you keep spacing out. Are you in love or something?”

Akihiko catches the teasing lilt in Haru’s voice and smiles. 

“Yeah, I think so,” he says casually, and Haru gapes, his hand freezing in mid-air just as he’s about to take another bite. Akihiko takes advantage of Haru’s shock to steal the grilled meat right out of his chopsticks and tosses it into his own mouth victoriously. 

“Wha _—_?” Haru exclaims, blinks his shock away right before stealing Akihiko’s bean sprouts in revenge.

 _Not nearly as satisfying_ , Akihiko suspects.

“Is it someone from uni? Do I know them?” Haru asks, curiosity radiating from him so hard it’s almost palpable.

Akihiko shrugs and spreads more meat on the grill. He hadn't really planned on saying anything after his friend's initial shock wore off.

“Maybe. The film department’s pretty big, isn’t it?”

“They’re in my _department?!_ ” Haru shouts, covering his mouth with a hand when the patrons around them turn to glare. He shies away and lowers his voice, touching his index finger to his bottom lip while he thinks out loud _—_ just another cute detail Akihiko has started to notice. 

“Hmm… let’s see… cute girls in the film department…” Haru’s brows pinch together in concentration and Akihiko stifles a chuckle. His friend can be so dense sometimes.

“Oh! I know!” Haru says with a broad grin, then proceeds to list off all the girls he personally finds attractive in his department. Akihiko has too much fun shaking his head at every one. By the tenth name, Haru’s once enthusiastic grin has dampened significantly with defeat. 

“Just tell me already!” he whines, “I’m running out of cute girls!”

Akihiko takes a swig of his beer and beams. “I never said it was a girl.”

Haru’s jaw drops a little, his cheeks reddening in that endearing way Akihiko cannot get enough of. But just when Akihiko thinks he’s figured it out, his friend shakes his head with a sigh.

“There’s too many guys in the film department. I’d be here all day trying to guess.”

Akihiko has the sudden urge to chuck cabbage at him. _Is it so hard to believe someone would like_ _you, you idiot?_

He seriously doesn't get why Haru doesn't give himself more credit. After all, he's the sweetest person Akihiko's ever met. He's one of those people who genuinely go out of their way to help those in need without expecting anything in return.

And it doesn't hurt that he's also an extremely attractive man. His features are angular yet delicate, with lips that twitch when he’s nervous and eyes so expressive they speak volumes louder than his voice ever could. His honey-blonde hair is as silky as it looks _—_ Akihiko can confirm this, as he has developed a fascination with twirling it between his fingers any chance he gets.

And Haru’s body _—_ though he usually keeps it covered by many useless layers _—_ is _hot_. Akihiko only knows this because of that time Haru was removing his sweater and accidentally dragged his shirt halfway off, exposing a nicely-toned back that has featured prominently in Akihiko’s fantasies ever since. But Akihiko is particularly enamoured of his hands _—_ slender and skillful as they are _—_ and often imagines how they’d feel entwined in his. Or buried in his hair, trailing over his back, his thighs. Wrapping around his cock.

Akihiko wonders what Haru's breath sounds like when he's turned on. Wonders what the moist heat of his mouth would feel like under his fingertips. And he's certainly dedicated a healthy amount of time to imagining what he sounds like when he comes.

Akihiko can picture Haru’s expression during climax so clearly in his mind’s eye _—_ contorted and flushed with pleasure _—_ while he writhes beneath him. And Akihiko longs to kiss him right then, at the moment between heavenly bliss and the gradual descent back to earth. What would he taste like, apart from the salt of their combined sweat?

A piece of cabbage smacks Akihiko between the eyes and he blinks, returning to reality.

“You’re doing it again!” Haru accuses, but there’s fondness in his tone when he shakes his head. “I’m going to figure out who it is and get you a date because this is getting pathetic.”

Akihiko smirks, nodding along with his plan. Then Haru's brows dip with uncertainty. “Unless… he’s straight. Oh, no, Aki! What if he’s _straight?_ ” 

Akihiko snorts. Haru looks so genuinely concerned that he feels guilty about leading him on this wild goose chase. But not guilty enough to confess.

He shrugs instead. “I’m not worried about that. He’s bi.”

“Oh,” Haru nods, mind working hard behind his knitted brows. “Well, that should really narrow it down, then!”

“Mm. You’d think,” Akihiko mutters, taking a long gulp from his drink.

There's a lull in the conversation after that, and Akihiko makes a conscious effort not to drift off into another daydream. He should be present in the moment with the guy he's so crazy about, not off in a different world with the idealized version of him. So he takes a moment to really study the real Haru.

He focuses on details he normally wouldn't, like the shadow above his lip, where he probably skipped shaving this morning. Or the state of his fingertips _—_ chewed raw thanks to that nervous habit of his. Or the way his hair's a little greasy instead of silky today _—_ he most likely showered without washing it last night. Still, none of these things make his best friend any less appealing to him. He's even better than the idealized version because he's _here_.

“There's something I don't really get, though,” Haru says suddenly, voice low to keep their conversation from prying ears. “I mean _—_ if you know he’s bi, why haven’t you made a move yet? That’s _—_ really not like you.”

Akihiko wonders if there was a hint of bitterness in that last statement.

“Well... you know. He's _—_ " Akihiko pauses and looks up from his meal at his friend, stalling as he decides how honest he wants to be with his answer. But Haru's expression is so soft and sincere that Akihiko can't bring himself to lie.

"He’s different from the people I usually go for,” he admits quietly. “I don't think... I’m ready to date someone like him.”

Haru's eyes grow wide as he makes an intrigued sound. His voice is just as quiet when he asks, “Different, how?” 

Akihiko almost replies with the truth: _He genuinely cares about me._

Instead, he clears his throat and keeps it vague.

“He’s just out of my league, at the moment.” 

“At the moment?” Haru has a good-natured laugh, flipping the neglected meat on the grill before it can char any worse. “How do you make your way up these figurative leagues?”

“I haven't figured that out yet,” Akihiko sighs with a shrug. “But it’s the only way I’ll be able to catch up to him.”

Haru hums and focuses on his food for a moment. Akihiko studies his face for an indication of what he's thinking _—_ his emotions are usually so easy to read _—_ but this time, it's strangely blank. 

“Well, um, he'll be lucky... when you decide to go for it," Haru finally says with a hint of a smile on his lips, though he's still not meeting Akihiko's gaze. "And y'know, since I probably know him... when you do decide... I’ll put in a good word for you.”

“Really?" Akihiko gapes, his heart performing a backflip in his chest. "You’d _—_ vouch for me?”

Haru gives a serious nod and Akihiko can't decide if he wants to kiss him or shake him.

“So what are you gonna say, hmm?" he asks, cocking a brow. "That I’m handsome and sexy and multi-talented? Super smart? Good with my hands?” He adds the last one with a wink, wiggling his fingers in the air just to get Haru to look up again. It works.

“I’ll say you’re a tolerable pain in the ass, on a good day,” Haru says with a smirk, and Akihiko snorts before a grin tugs at the corners of his mouth, too.

“Yeah, that's fair.”

**Author's Note:**

> Ayyee I hope you're ready for another AkiHaru smutfest hehe ;) 
> 
> Oh, and tons of feels. Apparently, I am incapable of writing smut without buckets of feels ;P


End file.
